Dip Dyeing Away

The avocado pit dye jars are empty, possibly for the season, and the yarn and thread are ready to be crocheted into projects!

I'd started a new batch of dye back in spring because I needed freezer space that was being hogged up by avocado pits from the last year or so. I stuck a new hank of wool yarn into the dye in May but then had to transfer it to a new container in July after the neighborhood bear played soccer with the plastic pretzel jar I'd been using for avocado dye projects for years. I used two first dips, meaning I used fresh dye twice, on this hank of yarn, hoping to get a really rich color. Now that a ton of tint has been absorbed, oh, how I hope this hank holds its color!!!

I'd stuck a hank of crochet thread in with the yarn in the recycled glass canned peaches jar with fresh avocado dye that had soaked in the sun (in the living room window during winter and on the porch as soon as overnight frost danger passed) for about seven months, hoping to get a darker hue on both the yarn and the thread. The thread, which initially was dipped in a jar of avocado pit dye that had already been used at least twice, really needed more pigment. Now it looks awesome!!!

All my dyed fibers get a Synthopol bath followed by a strawberry Suave shampoo bath followed by a strawberry Suave conditioner rinse. The Synthropol supposedly helps the dye cling to the fiber, and the strawberry (or cherry blossom or peach or whatever fragrant Suave products happen to be on the grocery store shelves) makes the washing process fun because it smells so good.

Now all the ammonia and crushed avocado pits are nurturing soil and flowers in the garden. The thread is dried and wound into a ball. The yarn is on the drying rack and will be wound into a ball as soon as it dries. I think I discovered the cure to drought... Set the drying rack outside to help speed the process, and the rain comes a tumblin' down!!! Ha ha ha!

When I finished washing the yarn and got ready to hang it on the drying rack, I found another hank of avocado-dyed yarn from last year hanging there that somehow had been forgotten.

Now it's in a ball and waiting with 11 other wound balls to be crocheted into a poncho I've had brewing in my head since my second trip to The Wave on Valentine's Day 2014. Yes, I've been avocado pit-dyeing wool yarn one hank at a time for eight and a half years to create my dream project!!!

The thread project has been in progress for three years. It's really slow-going. I used to work on it during my weekday train commutes and then while I had to wait in the car during Lizard' physical therapy during the pandemic. I haven't totally figured out a routine new block of crochet time. Yet I think this project is going to be SO beautiful. The pattern will be on my blog for an upcoming Snowflake Monday when I finish what I think will be a shawl...

Now I finally have enough yarn to begin designing the poncho!!! (Which I hope will work up faster because yarn is bigger than thread...)

Linking up with Alycia Quilts.

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